---
kind: "section"
citation: "18 U.S.C. § 2331"
title: "18"
title_heading: "Crimes and Criminal Procedure"
number: "2331"
heading: "Definitions"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/18/2331"
units:
  - "Part I — Crimes"
  - "Chapter 113B — Terrorism"
---

# §2331. Definitions


As used in this chapter—

- (1) the term “international terrorism” means activities that—
  - (A) involve violent acts or acts dangerous to human life that are a violation of the criminal laws of the [United States](/usc/18/229F.md?p=9) or of any [State](/usc/18/31.md?p=a-9), or that would be a criminal violation if committed within the jurisdiction of the [United States](/usc/18/229F.md?p=9) or of any [State](/usc/18/31.md?p=a-9);
  - (B) appear to be intended—
    - (i) to intimidate or coerce a civilian population;
    - (ii) to influence the policy of a government by intimidation or coercion; or
    - (iii) to affect the conduct of a government by mass destruction, assassination, or kidnapping; and
  - (C) occur primarily outside the territorial jurisdiction of the [United States](/usc/18/229F.md?p=9), or transcend national boundaries in terms of the means by which they are accomplished, the [persons](/usc/18/229F.md?p=5) they appear intended to intimidate or coerce, or the locale in which their perpetrators operate or seek asylum;
- (2) the term “[national of the United States](/usc/18/178.md?p=5)” has the meaning given such term in section 101(a)(22) of the Immigration and Nationality Act;
- (3) the term “[person](/usc/18/229F.md?p=5)” means any individual or entity capable of holding a legal or beneficial interest in property;
- (4) the term “act of war” means any act occurring in the course of—
  - (A) declared war;
  - (B) armed conflict, whether or not war has been declared, between two or more nations; or
  - (C) armed conflict between [military forces](#6) of any origin;
- (5) the term “domestic terrorism” means activities that—
  - (A) involve acts dangerous to human life that are a violation of the criminal laws of the [United States](/usc/18/229F.md?p=9) or of any [State](/usc/18/31.md?p=a-9);
  - (B) appear to be intended—
    - (i) to intimidate or coerce a civilian population;
    - (ii) to influence the policy of a government by intimidation or coercion; or
    - (iii) to affect the conduct of a government by mass destruction, assassination, or kidnapping; and
  - (C) occur primarily within the territorial jurisdiction of the [United States](/usc/18/229F.md?p=9); and
- (6) the term “military force” does not include any [person](/usc/18/229F.md?p=5) that—
  - (A) has been designated as a—
    - (i) foreign terrorist [organization](/usc/18/2256.md?p=4) by the Secretary of State under [section 219](/usc/18/219.md) of the Immigration and Nationality Act ([8 U.S.C. 1189](/usc/8/1189.md)); or
    - (ii) specially designated global terrorist (as such term is defined in section 594.310 of title 31, Code of Federal Regulations) by the Secretary of State or the Secretary of the Treasury; or
  - (B) has been determined by the court to not be a “[military force](#6)”.

## Source credit

(Added Pub. L. 102–572, title X, § 1003(a)(3), Oct. 29, 1992, 106 Stat. 4521; amended Pub. L. 107–56, title VIII, § 802(a), Oct. 26, 2001, 115 Stat. 376; Pub. L. 115–253, § 2(a), Oct. 3, 2018, 132 Stat. 3183.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### References in Text

Section 101(a)(22) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, referred to in par. (2), is classified to section 1101(a)(22) of Title 8, Aliens and Nationality.

### Prior Provisions

A prior section 2331 was renumbered 2332 of this title.

### Amendments

2018—Par. (6). Pub. L. 115–253 added par. (6).

2001—Par. (1)(B)(iii). Pub. L. 107–56, § 802(a)(1), substituted “by mass destruction, assassination, or kidnapping” for “by assassination or kidnapping”.

Par. (5). Pub. L. 107–56, § 802(a)(2)–(4), added par. (5).

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date of 2018 Amendment

Pub. L. 115–253, § 2(b), Oct. 3, 2018, 132 Stat. 3183, provided that: “The amendments made by this section [amending this section] shall apply to any civil action pending on or commenced after the date of the enactment of this Act [Oct. 3, 2018].”

### Effective Date

Pub. L. 102–572, title X, § 1003(c), Oct. 29, 1992, 106 Stat. 4524, provided that: “This section [enacting this section and sections 2333 to 2338 of this title, amending former section 2331 of this title, and renumbering former section 2331 of this title as 2332] and the amendments made by this section shall apply to any pending case or any cause of action arising on or after 4 years before the date of enactment of this Act [Oct. 29, 1992].”

### Short Title of 2004 Amendment

Pub. L. 108–458, title VI, § 6601, Dec. 17, 2004, 118 Stat. 3761, provided that: “This subtitle [subtitle G (§§ 6601–6604) of title VI of Pub. L. 108–458, enacting section 2339D of this title, amending sections 2332b and 2339A to 2339C of this title, and enacting provisions set out as a note under section 2332b of this title] may be cited as the ‘Material Support to Terrorism Prohibition Enhancement Act of 2004’.”

### Short Title of 2002 Amendment

Pub. L. 107–197, title I, § 101, June 25, 2002, 116 Stat. 721, provided that: “This title [enacting section 2332f of this title and provisions set out as notes under section 2332f of this title] may be cited as the ‘Terrorist Bombings Convention Implementation Act of 2002’.”

Pub. L. 107–197, title II, § 201, June 25, 2002, 116 Stat. 724, provided that: “This title [enacting section 2339C of this title and provisions set out as notes under section 2339C of this title] may be cited as the ‘Suppression of the Financing of Terrorism Convention Implementation Act of 2002’.”